This man was wasting his possessions ...

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He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’
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“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

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How we deal with money says a lot about us spiritually. Our relationship with money and what it buys speaks volumes about our values and our relationship with God. In this parable Jesus communicates to us the idea that we are but mere managers or stewards and that God is the owner of all that we have. I can see him looking directly at the religious leaders when he said "you can no longer be manager" then went on to describe their dark management styles.

I have to believe that "one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much" was an indictment of the spiritual management of the religious elders. Yet we miss the message in this parable if we do not understand that it teaches us of the importance of being faithful in the seemingly little things that God has entrusted us with. Our faithfulness in small things reveals who our master really is. It is true that we cannot love and serve God if we love and serve money.

Purge me Lord of every desire for more things. Help me to be content and faithfully serve you where I am.

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